"There is a certain amount of logic as far as the Government is concerned as there is less deprivation (within Wokingham).

"We are underfunded on PFI (Private Finance Initiative) and lottery funding, but the people of Wokingham pay more income tax, so more money flows out of the Wokingham area into the exchequer than the national average.

"We are being squeezed, squeezed, squeezed."

He added: "There is an attitude of, Oh, it's Wokingham."

Maurice Moore, of the Wokingham Volunteer Development Agency, agreed with Cllr Charlesworth that the root of the problem lay in the misconceptions of Wokingham.

"Wokingham is perceived as one of the top three affluent areas," said Mr Moore.

"We are seen as having no areas of deprivation, but there are pockets of deprivation surrounded by affluence, but funders don't understand this."